At the Ref Desk (5/22/18): Got an IM request explaining in great detail (several sentences in fact) what kind of article the person was looking for. Only thing missing -- the topic. Oh well... [more...]

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Depaul

We've been moved up to the 2nd floor while they're remodeling the first floor. The seat is probably no higher than normal but for some reason -- maybe because we're bang up against the main entryway or because the desk is smaller and more like a music stand -- it seems like a perch to me. Just as well. We'll be back downstairs in a couple of weeks.

OMG! 'Students Help Yourselves'? So unfair! What about us starving non-students? Strike! Strike!

Then I turn to the table and see this wonderful home-made cake!

Then a student brings over a burrito from some event just outside the library! At the same time, someone from Access Services says they've got a bunch of trays from yet another event and could I help clear them out? Are you kidding? Here's a picture of the final haul. It's too much!

I'm kind of pooped having spent a fun morning at Dominican University with the "Chicagoland Drupal in Libraries" group. I then hustled back to UIC (thanks Gwen for the lift!) where I had the usual list of web editing chores. I also had enough time to upload this baby:

This marks the final phase of a redesign that I've been working on since the beginning of the year -- spurred on by two requirements:

fresh new look

gots to work on mobile

Happily, 'responsive web design' came along right at the time I was tackling this project. (What's 'responsive design' you ask? When looking at the above page, slowly make the window more narrow. Then go back out. That's responsive design.)

Anyway, I still had to do the 'landing pages'. This one, the Admissions page, is the first of four.

But back to my itinerary: At around 5:15pm, I left UIC and headed over to DePaul for a couple of hours of 'Fun @ the Reference Desk'. It was a relatively quiet night. In Summer, Reference closes an hour earlier (i.e. at 8pm instead of 9pm) so I made it back home before 9pm.

In any case, as I said, long day -- productive just the same.

[Historical note: a certain other unit claimed it was the first to launch a responsive site. Yeahright...]

Picture of Your's Truly at the Ref Desk on my first day for Fall Quarter 2011. Lots of questions about whether we have textbooks for classes (generally we don't). Plus to add to the excitement, our Chat Reference pooped out for a couple of hours.

Last but not least, Are These Fighting Words? -- a shot of the flavors available at the Bean Coffee Stand at DePaul including the (controversial) "Decaf Librarian's Blend".

Actually I think it's move-in weekend. The quarter doesn't start till next Tuesday but people are moving in already. I saw one guy with this huge large-screen tv maybe 5' x 6' that probably cost a fortune in the 1990s. It's strange to think he's moving that monster into his dorm.

P.S. The sign says,

'LOADING ZONE: Please limit your time in this space to 20 minutes so that other students can move in. Thank you."